Lord Have Mercy on the Frozen Man
by KathyBoPeep
Summary: One of the smaller story arcs in Jane & Maura's Infinite Playlist that folks asked for separately so they didn't have to wade through all the other chapters. Maura and her son find something in a barn that could change their lives.
1. Imagine Dragons - Demons

**I'm going to make this a four shot using four different songs. :) Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, it literally makes me sooooo happy :D!**

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"Momma, can we play with the light puppets again?" Hunter asked sleepily. The little boy was snuggled into his Momma's side as they watched the sun go down on the porch. They'd sat on the same old rickety green couch on the porch, every day since they'd moved to this town. At the very grown age of six and a half years old, Hunter was not ashamed to admit that his favorite part of the day was when his momma and him sat out here and just talked about everything. He loved to look at his beautiful mother with her soft hair, just like his. She looked so happy now, and that's all he'd ever wanted.

"Oh honey, the sun's gone down too far. But, if you remind me tomorrow, I'll get it set up before sunset. I'm sorry pumpkin." Maura stroked her son's blonde curls, just reveling in the feeling of serenity that was life. She had learned the hard way to appreciate what she had now. She had before, but she just underestimated how much self-worth and peace of mind played a part in her happiness.

"Hmmkay, I guess" her son said with mock sadness as she stuck his tongue out and puffed out his wind tinted cheeks. Fall was rapidly approaching and with that came a multitude of changes: Hunter would start third grade and Maura would start as a nurse in the local vet clinic. They had spoken to great lengths about who the boy could talk to about his life, and where he was allowed to go after school.

The little elementary school was only a block from the Vet's office, but Maura still planned on walking her son to and from school; they had to be careful. They had to look out for _him._

_Him_

Just the singular thought of that wretched man made Maura shiver and tense up. They had one talk about that situation, nearly three months ago, when they'd left _him._

_"MOMMY!" Hunter yelled out as he watched his mother hit the bottom of the stairs. Her face was red and her dress was rumpled around her hips. She didn't have any shoes on and he could almost see blood on her leg. He was so scared. He was only six, what was he supposed to do? He grabbed his mother's cheeks and kissed them until she opened her eyes. She smiled at him and said she'd had a secret: they were going to go to a farm and he needed to pack before Daddy found out. He knew better than that, he wasn't a baby. But, he listened to his Momma and packed so fast that he could barely zip up his Toy Story book bag. He knew that his Momma kept her "vacation bag" tucked under his bed, so he grabbed that too. His throat started to tighten and he felt tears burning the corners of his eyes. But, he wouldn't cry in front of her, she would cry too. He never, ever, wanted to be the type of man to make a mommy cry. He didn't want to be his father._

Hunter snuggled deeper into his mother's embrace and inhaled her scent. She smelled like honeysuckle and flowers. After a few more minutes, and the sun had gone down, Hunter felt his mother jostle him awake.

"Hey, buddy, it's time for bed okay?" Maura whispered into his ear, kissing his cheek lovingly. It was nearing 10o'clock but Maura had also drifted off a bit on the old couch. It surprised her actually; she had let her guard down enough to actually sleep. Maybe this good old country air was beneficial to her mental health. She loved to sit out here when Hunter was asleep and just enjoy a glass of wine while nature serenaded her with its' wonderful noises.

Hunter just nodded and stood up slowly, he would never say it out loud but, he would give anything to sleep next to his mother again. He used to when he was younger, and she always made him feel safe and loved. But when _he _was home, he'd be forced to sleep in his room and hear all the terrible things that happened to his mother. Sometimes, when he couldn't sleep, those memories resurfaced and Hunter would sneak into his mother's room to make sure that she was okay. She was a strong woman, but he was the man of the house and he needed to protect what was inside of it.

Maura noticed her son's downtrodden expression and hesitancy to go into his room; he never really made a fuss about anything, so this must have been serious.

"Hey Hunter, I think that I might need someone to make sure that I fall asleep tonight, you up for the job?" Maura asked her son. She knew that he came into her room at night and she loved him dearly for it. But, he would never ask something like this. So, she would give him a reason to stay in bed with her.

Hunter smiled and nodded slowly. They walked into the house and he made sure to lock all four of the locks and to set the alarm. His Momma went into her room to get changed, and he grabbed his Batman pillow with the matching blanket. He changed into his pajamas and took a moment to stand in front of the mirror. He really was a tiny boy- his mother and father were thin but tall. So, he was pretty average. The kids in school sometimes laughed at him because his hair was so light and curly, saying it looked like lady hair. But, he didn't care because he looked like his mother and she was wonderful. Deciding to be silly for a moment, he flexed his arm in front of his mirror and tried to look intimidating, which failed- miserably. He ended up looking like something tasted badly, so he just shook his head and decided that if his opponent was looking at his face, well, he would not be expecting what was coming to him.

He heard his mother humming softly down the hall, and he smiled. She was singing the lullaby that she used to sing to him when he couldn't sleep. He very much remembered that _he _would storm out of the house and leave his mother in a terrible state. So, they would sit down in Grand-Mere's rocking chair and they'd fall asleep like that. His Momma used to hold him so tight against her that he would fall asleep counting her heartbeats.

Maura smiled at the sight of her son, flexing in front of the mirror. She wouldn't tell him that she saw but it also kind of scared her just how physical he'd become since they left. She should have made him see someone, but it was rare to find someone in a town this small. The nearest facility was about 40 miles away. But honestly, Maura was just kind of terrified to leave the confines of this little town.

She walked back down the wooden hall, taking a moment to look at all the photos that littered the hallways. She had truly decorated this house as she's wanted- filled with photos of things that made her happy. Maura trailed her fingers along the white wooden walls until she reached the door frame of her bedroom. She walked in and made sure that all of the windows were locked, she couldn't be too careful

_She had snuck them out of the house while he was still passed out upstairs. They'd shoved everything into her tiny prius and took off. She had waited until they were well out of town to even exhale and relax the tiniest bit. Her poor son was nearly purple and shaking because he was trying to put up a brave face. She had just driven until she was down to a quarter tank of gas. Judging by the placement of the sun- she'd estimated they were nearly 13 hours away. She'd sworn she'd seen an Iowa sign about an hour back. They'd stopped and eaten at a sandwich shop and stopped at the back. Maura withdrew every cent from their bank accounts and took his name off of her private funds. She'd stopped and checked out where she was and sighed. Yes, she was in Iowa. Well, no one would find her here. She cancelled her phone plan, and changed her name at the DMV. Rather, she'd tried to. But, the rude woman there just did not understand what it was like to be running from someone who would kill you if they could. _

_They'd stayed at a hotel while Maura used her new phone to find some local properties. Her son had only said less than ten words in horrible 24 hour period. Before bedtime the blonde had an appointment to look at three houses in city, and a farm on the outskirts of town. She'd eventually chosen the farm because while she was deep in the country, she still had neighbors if something were to happen. _

Hunter saw his mother standing in front of the window, staring at nothing in particular. So, he jumped onto her bed and snuggled on top of her comforter. His Momma always slept on the left side of the bed, so he had just gotten used to sleeping on the right side. Even when he was in his own bed, the right side is where he felt the safest.

Eventually his hazel eyes started to droop and he murmured in his sleep. Maura jumped slightly and quickly shook her head to dispel her negative thoughts. They were safe, she always had to remind herself of that. They were far away from anyone that knew them. Soon Hunter would have lots of friends and hopefully would forget what used to be. Maura smiled sadly at the realization that once she started at the clinic, she too would have to interact with people once more. That's the part that scared her the most. How could she learn to be around people without flinching and jumping at every single sound? Would she have to pretend to be happy again? Would she have to lie and use makeup to cover things that people never needed to see? She glanced down at her son, her poor baby. He had watched his mother be the subject of inhumane torture for years, and kept a brave face the whole time. Stifling tears, Maura slid into her bed and just stared at her son, her beacon of light. Hunter had fallen asleep already and Maura knew she should try and sleep too. Tracing her son's face with soft fingers, Maura knew that they would be okay. It would take more than just _him_ to break their bond. They were family, and family was the most important thing to her.

She slowly slid into the land of the sleeping, holding her son's hand the entire night.


	2. James Taylor - The Frozen Man

**This song is very special to me. :) It's not meant to be taken seriously, but I love the story that it tells, and James Taylor's voice is soothing for me. **

**Any mistakes are mine, I'm so sleepy but I wanted to get this chapter up. This is a continuation of the previous chapter. The next two will be up in the same order. **

**As always, your reviews make me smile. Thanks for that :)**

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Part **two** of **four**

The bright country sun rose slowly, casting light over trees and warming the faces of those who slept. Hunter sat up in his bed and rubbed his tired eyes. He never set an alarm, so why was his going off? He looked at his alarm and realized that he started school today, that's why he'd set an alarm. He was actually kind of excited to meet some kids his age. At this school he wouldn't have to explain why his parents never came to school events, his Momma had promised that she would go to every single one.

Jumping out of bed, the young boy hurried to change into his clothes that he had picked out the night before. He knew that his mother did the same, and it worked for her, so he would try to be the same. He threw on a sweater just to be safe, grabbed his book bag and ran into the bathroom to brush his teeth. After a successful game of lets-not-get-toothpaste-on-a-black-sweater, Hunter ran into the kitchen to see his mother making breakfast. She hadn't heard him coming and she was singing quietly and dancing while flipping the pancakes.

Maura turned around to see her son looking very dashing for his first day of school. The sight itself made tears form in the corners of her eyes. He would finally go to a school where no one knew that his mother didn't go outside and he was the reason. She smiled at her son and turned back to the sizzling pancakes so she could wipe her eyes without him noticing. When the pancakes were browned perfectly, Maura set them lovingly on a plate, making sure that they didn't touch, just like Hunter liked. While most people ate their pancakes with syrup or jam, her son had taken a liking to honey instead. So, she set the honey next to the pan so it would warm up a bit.

Hunter smiled up at his Momma, he really could see just how much happier she was out here. It was like meeting a new person. When they'd lived in Boston, his Momma only wore black and never went outside. She would get dressed really pretty every day, and wait at the door for her husband, for him.

His father was a wretched soul. Hunter didn't like to think about him because when he did, he always wished he'd saved his Momma earlier. If he'd saved his momma before she had her accident, he might have had a sister too. Maybe…

He looked into his mother's hazel eyes and he knew that she'd caught him thinking about their old life. Her smile faltered a bit, as she asked him the question she'd been trying to hold in for a long time.

"Are you happy here Hunter? Now that we're alone out here?" He knew that his Momma really meant if he felt safe, but she was hesitant to talk about it sometimes.

"Yeah Momma, I like it here. I like how happy you are, we're free. Safe. We're safe too" Hunter shoved pancakes into his mouth to silently stop the conversation from going any further. He had no problems talking about it, but not on the first day of school.

"Almost done? I'll get the car ready, it's getting cold so we won't walk just yet. "Maura wiped her son's face with a wet cloth. As old and wise as he appeared, he did still manage to get honey all over his face.

When her son returned all ready to go, Maura felt her chest bursting with pride for them. They had conquered so much, and they were so happy right now. They walked out the front door, and Maura noticed that one of the barn doors had blown open the night previous. She'd have to remember to shut it when she came back, the weatherman had said to expect temperatures in the low 30's well into the month of October.

They got into the car, and drove towards the school in a comfortable silence. When they arrived, Maura asked if Hunter wanted to go in with him-which he quickly declined. He knew that entering a building like that with so many kids would be very hard for her after spending so much time alone.

Maura had just smiled, and kissed her son on the head. She ruffled his hair and rubbed his cheekbone with the pad of her thumb until the first bell rang. He bid her goodbye quickly and ran towards the door, he didn't want to be late on his first day of school.

Tears streamed down Maura's face, she was ashamed of herself. There was no one here to hurt her and she still had problems facing people. It's not like any of them hurt her, it was only him.

He had forbid her from seeing the sunlight, saying that it made her age. He used to lock her in the bedroom for hours on end, just for walking too quickly past a curtain, revealing the sunlight. He would cuff her to the bed, and leave her there until Hunter woke up and needed feeding. Then, he would make her breastfeed their son whenever he cried, until her chest was so red and raw that showering made her cry out in pain.

Once their son was a toddler, Maura was forced to sit in the dark with the child in the basement while he slept. She thought every single day about leaving and running away but, the last time that she had tried that, he had smashed her head against the bathtub so hard that her eyes turned red and she couldn't speak clearly for days.

She hadn't had consensual sexual intercourse in nearly five years when she discovered that she was pregnant. Hunter was four and asking a lot of questions about why she always cried in the shower, or why she sat at the door for hours, just looking outside.

A shrill honk brought Maura out of her flashbacks as she realized that she was sitting at a stop sign in front of the school. She quickly left, gripping the steering wheel extra hard with her sweaty hands. She was on edge- she never dealt with flashbacks well. They'd been gone from that place for nearly six months, and had yet to hear a peep from her husband. She's thought about filing for divorce about a hundred times, but she was scared to even contact him.

She pulled into the driveway, and realized that she didn't even remember the drive home. She noticed the barn door was open and she needed to close it. So, she got out of the car and set her keys and purse inside the front door, on the counter. She grabbed one of Hunter's jackets and walked the 10 or so yards out to the barn.

She had picked this place because of the serenity surrounding the property, and she never once used any of it. They never took walks, or played in the yard, or used the barn for anything. Maybe when it got nicer out, they could learn how to play soccer together or something. Maura wrapped the sweater around her small frame. She had put on some weight since they'd left. She couldn't have been more than 95 lbs. when they escaped. Now she had lost the gaunt, angular look that she had before. For the first time in nearly a decade, Maura Isles loved herself, truly.

She finally reached the big white barn, it had seen better days. The wind whipped her honey blonde hair all around, it was sure getting cold quickly. They might actually get snow tonight. Maura pushed the door shut and right before she closed it, she thought she heard a whimper. But, there was no one out there, so it must have just been the wind between the old rafters. Using all of her strength, Maura pushed the door shut and latched it once again. She turned around and suddenly felt very vulnerable out here all alone.

Chills ran up her spine as she took off in a sprint towards the house, something wasn't right. When she got to her porch, out of breath, she looked all around and saw that nothing had moved. Maybe she was just paranoid.

She locked her house up and double checked the locks and windows. She still felt off a little bit, she thought maybe a hot bath would do the trick. Her bathroom wasn't much, just a claw foot tub and a sink. She usually showered for the sake of time, but sometimes, a good soak could clean more than the skin.

She locked the bathroom door behind her and stripped her clothes off. She gazed at herself in the mirror for quite a bit. Her hips had widened a bit, she looked more curvy and feminine. Her ribs were no longer visible, that made her feel much more attractive. Her skin no longer hung gaunt and pale. Her breasts were still scarred from him, but that would never change. She crossed her arms over them so she didn't have to see it. Moving on, she saw that her face was fuller, happier. Her skin was pink and healthy, compared to the pale yellowed skin she'd left with. She looked alive again, and it was great. But, there were scars that no one but her could see, or feel. Maura never forgot them, or where they came from. Would they ever heal?

Maura stepped into the cold porcelain and dumped some beads into the bath. She started the water, not able to suppress the moan that escaped her lips when the warm water pooled around her sore body. She lay back against the cold white bathtub and closed her eyes. This was heaven.

After nearly a half hour, and two more warm fillings of the bath, Maura finally decided to get out. She felt so relaxed and happy, she felt free for the time being. Deciding that she needed a cup of tea, Maura wrapped her robe around herself and made her way into the kitchen. She looked out the window and smiled, it had started to snow lightly. The tiny white flakes dusted the top of the porch and everything outside. She started the kettle and saw that her son would be done with school in about an hour. She set the time and sat down on the heated porch with a book and her tea.

After 45 minutes had passed, Maura rose and stretched from her position. She needed to go pick up Hunter; hopefully he'd had a nice day at school. She filled two travel cups with hot tea and grabbed a snack. Five minutes later saw Maura walking out the door towards her car fully clothed and bundled. She'd have to be careful, she wasn't really used to driving in snow anymore.

Once inside, set set one of the cups in her holder and the other in the backseat space, along with a bag of grapes and some thin mint cookies. She knew that getting some sort of snack after school made her son feel loved and cared for. Maura backed down the driveway and drove off to the school.

She didn't have to wait long after she'd arrived to see her little man walk out of the building with a huge smile. He opened the back door and slid in, grabbing the little bags of goodies and smiling at the warm drink his Momma had packed. He always wondered how she knew things like this made him so happy.

"So, little man, how was school?" Maura asked her son, making eye contact in the rear view mirror while she sat at the stoplight. He smiled at his Momma and continued to eat his grapes.

"It went well, I met a few nice kids. We mostly just talked about what we all learned last year. Mrs. R was surprised when I knew all of my times tables up to 9! She told me I was a bright young boy." Hunter bragged, he wasn't used to being complimented like that by anyone other than his mother. So, it really meant a lot to him.

"Well, you are a bright young boy. You'll have to tell me more about her when we get home" Maura said, turning onto the road. They'd be home in ten minutes and then she would start dinner while Hunter did whatever work he had at the table.

"Thank Momma, I love you" Hunter blushed at the loving tone his mother had used towards him. He had never heard it until they had moved out here. He was used to her cracking, small voice and pleads for help. But after they'd left, he hadn't heard either one of those.

"I love you too baby boy" Maura whispered.

They pulled into the driveway and Hunter was quick to get out and run to the door, not liking the cold air and snowflakes that were dropping quickly. Maura giggled as she flipped her keys around, eventually finding her house key. They'd entered the warm house that smelled like cinnamon and vanilla.

They'd hung their coats and scarfs up while knocking their shoes against the door frame to clear the snow off them. Hunter padded to the kitchen and took out some books while his Momma went to the cupboard to start dinner. They worked in a comfortable silence, something they would never take for granted.

One their food was done, Maura started to set the table and smiled when small hands took the plates out of her hand and finished the job. Her heart warmed to know that she had the best son in the world.

She dished it out, and sat down. Her son brought her a wineglass and she filled his cup with milk. They were quite the pair, and they knew it. Once they were all settled, they ate in more silence. Tiny smiles of appreciation were traded, as were ruffled head rubs and loving glances.

Hunter finished first and asked to be excused. He was allowed to watch an hour of television per night, and his favorite show was on in fifteen minutes. Maura nodded and laughed as her normally too mature boy took off like the child he was. She cleared the table and started to fill the sink with water, she'd decided against a dishwasher out here. She and her son took turns doing dishes, although Maura still refused to let him touch the knives.

Maura glanced outside and gasped, the snow had really picked up! There was now almost two inches outside, and the darned barn door was opened again. She knew that she really should shut it before it blew off the hinges or before any critters made themselves a home inside it. Maura dried her hands on her jeans and grabbed her son's coat-it was quicker to put on and it had a hood.

"Hey Hunter, I'm going to go shut the barn door again. I'll be back in a minute, okay?" Maura called towards the living room.

"Okay Momma, be careful- it's cold outside" her son's voice resonated through the house and she smiled, he was looking out for her.

She pushed her way outside and cringed as the cold wind stung her cheeks and ears. She pulled her hair out of the ponytail she'd had it in, hoping to warm her ears a bit. She trudged the familiar path in the snow, until she reached the barn. It looked very different at night, sticking out in the dark of the night.

She stepped back to put her force into the door again when she suddenly stopped. What was that noise? Maybe it was a hurt animal, or it could just be more wind in the rafters. Maura grabbed a piece of wood from the side of the barn and used her phone's flashlight to look around the barn. There, under some hay, was a form that was shaking badly. Maybe it was seizing?

Maura approached carefully and gasped when she saw that it was a woman wearing almost nothing. She was clutching her hands to her chest and moaning, it looks like she might have a fever? Her lips were blue and her ears were so purple that Maura feared they were frostbitten.

"H-Hello? Are you awake?" Maura asked cautiously, kneeling down in front of the form. She saw dried, frozen blood on the shirt of the woman and also noticed that she was wearing badge. Was she a police officer? Maura grabbed out to touch the woman to gauge her body temperature and nearly screamed when she realized that this woman was freezing? How long had she been out here?

Maura made a quick decision and scooped up the woman in her arms. She was a thin person but Maura was still struggling to keep her balance. She forgot about the barn door as she moved step by step back towards the house. The journey that normally took a minute was nearly approaching twenty. She saw her porch light flick on and her son ran out in only his boots and his pajamas. Before she could even yell at him to put a coat on, she realized that she was wearing it.

"Hunter! Fill up my tub with some cold water okay? Hurry!" Maura directed her son, who just nodded and ran back into the house, leaving the door open for Maura and the woman who had yet to wake up.

Once Maura had gotten into her house, she tried her best to set the woman nicely down on the couch on the porch. Her arms were shaking, as were her legs, but she needed to get this woman's body temperature up soon!

Hunter came back in with a pair of his sweatpants and a hoodie, she assumed was for the woman. She smiled at his thoughtfulness and kissed him quickly on the head.

Together they carried this woman to the bathroom, and Hunter backed out once Maura had started to strip the woman out of her frozen clothes. Maura threw the clothes into the bin without thinking and set the woman's badge on the sink next to them. Once her frozen body was down to just underwear, Maura lowered her into the cool bathtub. The woman's brown eyes shot open at the change in temperature and began to whimper at the cold water which was most likely burning her skin.

"Hey, it's okay. You're safe, I'm a doctor. Well, I used to be but that's beyond the point" Maura whispered, stroking the woman's dark brown waves.

"He was too. Don't hurt me" the woman whispered, coughing hard when she used her voice. She hadn't spoken in a long time, and she was in so much pain she almost blacked out again.

"I won't hurt you, I swear on it. Just sit in here until this water feels cold, okay? Once it's cold, just tell me and I'll warm it up again. You were lying in my barn, why were you out there? Are you hurt?" Maura asked quietly. She generally avoided people as much as she could and she never just let someone into her home like this. But, she just felt that this woman needed help, and Maura knew that she needed to help her.

"You're an Angel, aren't you? Am I alive or am I dead?" the woman's eyes closed as she fell asleep in the bathtub.

Maura just blushed and drained the tub. Once it was empty, she ran the water again, only a little warmer. She reached under the sink and grabbed her old medicine bag. She sifted through the tools inside until she pulled out a thermometer. It was a child type one, so it needed to be inserted into her ear, but it's all she had right now.

98.1. Whew, Maura sighed.

She was close to being back up there, she might just be okay. Maura wiped her brow with her hand and shut off the water. She let the woman sit there for a minute, eventually grabbing a cup and pouring the warm water over her head. She uncurled her hands, which were still up by her chest and gasped. There was a red, angry, infected circle on each of her hands, right in the middle.

She dunked them under the water and nearly cried when the tub turned copper. She would fix those too. Whoever this woman was, she was in bad shape. But, it had been years since Maura practiced medicine, so she was just the woman for the job.


	3. Rihanna ft Eminem - Monster

Tiny tw for alluding to rape and abuse nothing graphic at all. This is part three of my four shot, but I think I'll write an epilogue for it too.

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TW for light mentions of sexual and physical violence.

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Maura grunted in exhaustion as she pulled the semi-conscious woman out of the lukewarm bathtub. She had regained consciousness for a while and was now lightly snoring. The blonde carried the frail woman to her bed and laid her down on the cover, ignoring the spreading water stain on her sheets.

The woman's body was covered in goosebumps, which was a good sign. Maura gently removed the woman's undergarments and tried not to cry at the sight of all the blood that stained them. She grabbed the heaviest pajamas she owned out of her dresser and gently covered the shaking brunette with them. Maura ran out of her bedroom and whipped open the hall closet, taking out every blanket that she owned. The pile was so tall that Maura has to bounce off the wall a few times, trying to find her bedroom door.

Once inside, Maura threw the pile of blankets on the bed next to the woman. She covered her up with all of them, and walked back into the living room where her son was sitting on the couch. He was quietly watching television, but Maura knew he was nervous and trying to behave. His little hands were grabbing at the corners of his t-shirt, and his leg was bouncing-a trait he'd picked up from his mother. It kind of broke her heart to see her son this distressed, but she would explain it as best as she could. Maura walked quietly into the room, grabbed the remote, and muted the television.

"Hey, Hunter, what happened- that was really scary, huh?" Maura knelt down on the floor and looked her son in the eyes. His lip was quivering, but he held steady. Hunter just reached out towards his Momma, who hugged him. He nodded into her hair, and whispered, "Is she okay? I got out some of my jammas, but I think she's too tall"

"I know that you did, sweet boy. I love that you have such a big heart. You're such a wonderful son, did you know that? Can I ask you a very mature favor thought?" Maura knew that her son was scared of having someone he didn't know in their house, but she just needed to help this woman.

Hunter just nodded, slowly untangling himself from his mother's embrace. He wiped his eyes quickly and listened for his new set of instructions.

"Okay, I know that it's only 8:00, but would you mind going into your room. You aren't in trouble, but I don't want you to scare that lady. It looks like she's going to need someone to help her, and I don't want you to worry. Remember when I worked at the hospital? You weren't very old, maybe...three? But, I used to help people just like her, so I'll be okay. Can you do that for me baby boy?" Maura cupped his cheek, and rubbed her thumbs along his face. With a determined nod, Hunter kissed his Momma on the cheek and walked towards his bedroom. He only made it halfway before he turned around and ran back towards her, grabbing the remote and shutting off the television.

"Love you, night Momma" Hunter blew her a kiss and walked back to his room, closing the door softly behind him. He turned off the lights, and got into bed. Whoever that woman that his Momma brought in, he wanted to help her however he could. His Momma had taught him one thing when things were bad at home: Everyone is someone's child, and you always need to think about that before you speak to someone. His teacher talked today about not being a bully, and he thought that this would make a good topic in class tomorrow, if anyone believed him. Even though it was early, Hunter was exhausted after the craziness. He quickly fell asleep planning the story he would tell everyone tomorrow.

Maura went to the kitchen after turning the lights off in the living room, and put some tea on. She checked all of the locks, and went into the laundry room. She stripped out of the wet and dirty clothes she was wearing, and slipped into a pair of flannel pants and simple tank top. She threw her clothes right into the washer, and started it- she would finish them tomorrow.

The kettle beeped, and Maura walked back into the kitchen. She shut the laundry room door, and turned off the hallway light. She inhaled the smell of her lavender tea and sighed. She poured herself a cup, and poured a small amount in a portable mug in case that woman woke up. Maura carried both cups, and a magazine in between her teeth. She had to do a very awkward hip check to the light switch in the kitchen, nearly spilling everything in her grasp. She walked into her bedroom to see the woman's chest still rising. She set her tea and magazine down on the other side of the bed, and got under the covers. She debated waking the woman, who was still warming back up.

After a few minutes of deliberation, Maura decided to slowly wake the woman so she could be aware of her surroundings. Slowly, as not to scare her too badly, Maura touched her shoulder, which was still cold through the fabric of her clothes, but not nearly as freezing as she was about an hour ago.

"Hey. Hey. I don't know who you are, and I'm not sure how you ended up in my barn, but you're safe. You're in my bed, so don't worry if you don't know where you are. Can you open your eyes for me please?" Maura said as sweet as she could manage. She started to run her hand over the shoulder of the woman. After a few moments, the brunette's eyes fluttered open, and she shot up in bed. She scared Maura so badly that she nearly fell off of the side of bed.

"W-Wher-ohh" The woman must have been in so much pain, Maura figured after remembering all of her wounds. The woman just curled her hands into her chest and started to rock back and forth. She was shivering and her teeth were chattering, showing just how cold she was.

"Hey, it's okay." Maura whispered, reaching out to her "I found you in my barn, and I took you in here. You're safe, but you were in the snow. I want to make sure that you warm up. Do you want some tea?" Maura started to ramble, she hadn't really thought about what happened after the woman woke up. Would she want to stay? She really wasn't fit to go back inside.

The woman looked at Maura, sizing her up. Maura handed her the travel mug, before realizing that her hands probably were too cramped to hold the cup. She put a finger up, asking for just a moment as she ran back into the kitchen. She didn't bother to turn on the light as she rummaged through the drawers, finally emerging with a straw. She bumped her toe on the edge of the table and cursed to herself. Finally, Maura hobbled back towards the bedroom, careful not to make too much noise.

When she walked back in, the woman noticed her limp and frowned. Maura just waved away her concern and climbed back into the bed. She plunked the straw into the mug, then held it out to the woman. Cautiously, the woman started to drink and coughed a bit at the warm liquid. Maura set the cup down in the woman's lap.

"Do you have any idea how you ended up in my barn?" Maura asked, with a slight head tilt. Who would purposefully go outside and get lost in the snow?

"I escaped." the woman muttered. She shivered so hard that the mug almost tipped. Maura quickly removed it and set it down next to her on the end table. Remembering that she also had tea, the blonde sipped it quietly and waited for the other woman to explain further.

"Where am I? I don't remember how long I ran for. I don't even know how long.." she sighed and looked away. She really did not want to be here, she didn't even know this woman. But, she hadn't escaped just to die outside.

"You're in Iowa. We live just outside the Davenport City limits, where did you come from?" Maura offered her the tea again, which she refused.

"Jane. I'm Jane. I- I used to live in Boston. But, _he_ took me.I don't even know how old I am- what year is it?" Jane turned her head to look at Maura, who quickly wiped away a tear. She wanted to help this woman so much, but she had only known her for less than three hours.

"Hi Jane, I'm Maura. I also used to live in Boston. It's 2010, what was the year when you were taken?" Maura tried her best to keep herself from panicking. She tended to have terrible flashbacks when she spoke of Boston.

"2000, I think." Jane muttered. She felt dizzy, so she let herself fall back into the bed. She was famished, but the thought of food made her wants to throw up.

"My goodness; how long have you been outside? It's only 20 degrees out there?"

Jane just shrugged. She really didn't even remember how she got to the barn in the first place. Everything was hazy, including the past nine years. All she could remember now was pain and loneliness.

"Hey, don't freak out, but you need to warm up. Do you feel okay? I can make you some soup?" Maura asked, finally taking a moment to notice just how beautiful of a woman Jane was. She had long brown hair that fell in chunks around her thin face. She looked to be of Italian or Spanish descent.

"I'm really cold, I just can't get warm" Jane shivered again so violently that Maura feared she would start seizing.

"I have an idea but I want to run it by you first Jane, okay?" When Jane simply nodded, Maura continued. "You need human contact. I don't want to scare you though. I need your skin to touch mine, okay?" Maura said slowly gauging her reaction.

"I don't know. I don't really like to be touched" Jane tried her best to stay calm. She knew that this woman wasn't going to hurt her, but after years of physical and emotional torture, Jane's psyche was broken."

"Well, can I tell you a story that might make you trust me a little more?" Maura asked. She finished off her tea, and snuggled down into the blankets. She turned towards Jane and slowly brought both of her hands out the blanket to show Jane where they were at all times. Jane nodded again, and brought the covers up to her chin.

"Well, in the other room over there" Maura pointed to the closed door across the hall."That's my son, Hunter. His f-fath-father, was my hu-husband." Maura stuttered- a habit she had when she was really nervous. She did not like to talk about her past, but if it helped this woman- even the tiniest bit, she would do it.

"He, he was a good husband at first. I mean, I never really loved him- his family was quite close to mine when we were growing up. So, naturally, we were destined to marry. He developed quite a gambling problem right before Hunter was born. He never told me, but I knew that he had squandered away his family's money. In the beginning it was purely emotional. He would berate me for my parent's wealth and mock my profession. I was a medical examiner for the B-B-Boston Police Department, and Garrett- that was his name- did not like that. He couldn't find a job to his liking, so he tried to steal money from my parents." Maura took a few shaky breaths and waited a moment to start again.

"Once Hunter was born, Garrett just went south. I assume he didn't like my focus to be on our- my son, so he tried his best to make me want him. I refused his offers for sexual favors, until he no longer asked. After that, he quit asking, and just made me do those things for him." Maura broke out into sobs, she'd never said any of this out loud, and talking about it just made her hurt all over again.

"When I fell pregnant again, Hunter was almost four. He was so excited to have a sibling. But, Garrett was not happy that I'd become pregnant. He insisted that I terminate it and when I refused, he...well...manually solved the problem. Neither Hunter nor I were allowed outside unless it was necessary. His mother walked my son to school every day, and filled his head with horrible lies about life and how evil I was." Maura stopped, she could feel her vision narrowing and her chest tightening. She didn't want to start having a panic attack, so she just gulped down some air and tried her best to even out her heartbeat

"Hey" Jane's rugged voice ripped Maura out of her downward spiral. "Hey, are you okay? I'm sorry if I-"

"No, no, you're fine. I just don't talk about my past often and I-I-I just wanted to tell you t-that I'm b-b-b-broken too." the blonde stammered. She was embarrassed for her outburst, she had done so well since she'd left. She gasped as she felt a cold hand grab hers under the blanket. She looked up to see a face of understanding.

"We aren't broken, just bent. We are strong women, right?" Jane said. She motioned for Maura to scoot it and immediately relaxed when she came into contact with the blonde. She was already feeling better than she had when she woke up.

"I'm sorry" Maura sniffled and wiped her tears away. "I have no idea why I trust you so much, I'm generally very afraid of people" Maura let her thumb slide back and forth over Jane's ever-warming hand.

"I don't know why I'm still here, I don't really have any place to go. So, I kind of have to trust you. I mean, no offense I guess" Jane shrugged, hoping that the blonde would understand her anxiety.

"I understand, Jane. I'll make you a deal: if you stay here for a week, I'll feed you and nurse you back to health. After the week is up, you're welcome to leave if you want. I won't hold any of your choices against you." Maura bargained.

Jane seemed to think about it for a bit and eventually agreed. She really didn't want to go back outside in the cold, and this woman had food. Honestly, she'd die if she left any sooner.

"Okay, but only under one condition" Jane said. She didn't want to feel like a freeloader, and she didn't want to scare Maura's son, or make them uncomfortable.

"Sure- what?"

"Let me do the dishes at least?" Jane smiled and laughed lightly. Maura then laughed and nodded. She loved to hear the sound of the brunette's husky laugh.

Jane smiled and laid back into pillow. Maura turned off the light, and snuggled into the other woman, who was almost warmed up. She'd have to remember to take some of the blankets off her later. Jane inhaled the smell of lavender shampoo and realized that she'd laughed earlier, she hadn't laughed in nearly a decade. Both women fell asleep with smiles on their faces, despite their terrible pasts.

"


	4. John Legend - All of Me

**I'm sorry this is so long. I didn't realize that I had such a story to tell! light trigger warning for mentions of abuse but nothing graphic at all. ill upload the epilogue tomorrow. I love reviews more than anything else. **

* * *

This is part four of my four shot. I wrote an epilogue for it too! I'm sorry that this one is so long, I just could not stop writing it! :D

Part one | Part two | Part three

link to the whole songfic story is here 

When Jane woke that next morning, she felt like death had stomped all over her body. Her limbs ached and her stomach burned with hunger. But, she was warm. She shifted slightly, turning over on her side. Jane was unsure of her surroundings, where was she?

A small sigh makes Jane look up and gasp. The view of the woman that had saved her (Maura?) was snoring lightly on the other side of the large bed. Slowly, the memories of the night before trickled back, and she finally understood where she was. Normally, Jane would feel very nervous about sharing her name with someone she had just met. But, the fact that Maura had saved her life gained her a little bit of trust. The blonde had also unloaded some emotional baggage onto her as well. It made Jane feel like a human again, to be talked to like someone with thoughts or feelings. Instead of being made to answer to a whistle, or a simple command.

A pleasant hum slipped out of the blonde's mouth and she turned over in her sleep and faced Jane. She really was a beautiful woman, in Jane's opinion. She had to consciously stop her hand from wandering over to Maura and brushing the soft downy curls away from her face. When the blonde sucked her bottom lip inside her mouth and smiled in her sleep, Jane's mind stopped. She forgot about all of her pain.

She forgot about the beatings, the rapes, the broken noses and crushed fingers. She forgot the feeling of red-hot pain in her hands, she forgot that she was an undesirable thing. The only thing she remembered was the one dimple on that gorgeous face. The temptation became too much and she stroked the blonde's face lightly. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and realized that this woman saved her life. She owed her the world. She wanted to stay in this warm bed with this gorgeous woman, but she needed to get up and stretch her muscles- and go pee.

Jane stood slowly, realizing that Maura had to undress her to get her into warm clothes and she blushed. She was ashamed of her broken body, and didn't like the fact that she was on display. Tiptoeing out of the room, Jane saw that Maura's son's room was already open, and she could hear a struggle going on in what she assumed was the kitchen. She took a moment to look at the white walls and all of the little pictures of the family. For all the trials and tribulations that Maura had admitted the night before, they sure did look happy. Finally, Jane wandered into the kitchen to see Maura's son standing on a chair, trying to reach a bowl in the top cupboard.

"Need some help?" Jane husked sleepily, throwing her hands out when the boy jumped as she startled him. He turned around slowly, he wasn't supposed to be on the chairs, but he was hungry and needed to be at school in a half hour. He also heard his mom crying last night, and didn't want to wake her up.

"Are..you…okay? I saw Momma put you in the tub last night. Your lips were blue" Hunter asked while getting down off the chair. When Jane reached up and grabbed the bowl, Hunter gasped at the red scars on the woman's hand. He glanced at the floor and tried not to cry. How could someone hurt her like that?

"Yeah kiddo. I just fell asleep outside, and it was too cold. Your Mom saved me though, and I feel better today. I'm starving though, is there enough cereal for me?" Jane asked with a smile. She saw the kid ogle her hands, and she was very thankful that he hadn't asked about them.

Hunter just nodded and pushed the milk towards her, she seemed nice enough. He poured himself some cereal and just ate quietly, swinging his legs to a beat in his head. Jane smiled at the boy- he really did look just like Maura.

"Sorry if last night was scary, I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I'm Jane by the way, Jane Rizzoli." Jane whispered towards the remnants of her breakfast. She felt guilty for interrupting what seemed like a quiet family.

"I'm Hunter. It's okay Jane. Momma used to be a people doctor until he told her that she couldn't go outside anymore. But, she likes making people feel better, she told me that yesterday when we carried you. I'm just glad that you're okay Jane. Are you going to stay here?" Hunter was getting nervous, why hadn't his Momma come to drive him to school, they needed to leave soon.

"Yeah bud, I am. Your Momma told me to stay here a week so I can get healthy again. You keep looking down the hall for her, should I wake her up for you?" Jane asked as she stood and rinsed her bowl out in the sink.

"Well, I don't wanna wake her up, but I have school. I mean, I'm all ready to go but she's usually up by now." Hunter said quietly as he sat down to put his boots on.

Jane just nodded and padded down the carpeted hallway again. When she reached the bedroom again, she stopped right in her tracks. There was Maura looking like an angel. Her pajama top had ridden up slightly, showing off gentle curves. The blankets had been kicked onto the floor, making the blonde gravitate towards the warm spot on the bed. Jane was actually speechless for a minute- she'd never had this reaction towards someone she'd known for less than a day.

The brunette shook her head to clear her thoughts and entered the room, sitting softly on the side she was just sleeping on. She placed a warm hand on Maura's bare shoulder and whispered the blonde's name quietly. After a few rounds of this, Maura inhaled deeply and opened her eyes slowly. Jane looked like an angel, bathed in light over her. She looked much healthier than the night before.

"Hey sleepyhead, Hunter is in the kitchen waiting for you to drive him to school, okay?" Jane whispered to the blonde, who was still waking up.

Maura suddenly sat up and jumped off of the bed with a terrified look. Maybe they could stop for breakfast or something.

"Oh goodness, we're going to be so late, I didn't even feed him!" Maura cried, throwing on a grey hoodie and some yoga pants. She stepped into her boots and jumped around the bedroom looking for a hair tie.

"I fed him, he's okay. We had some cereal while you slept. I'm sorry if I shouldn't have. I can go shopp-" Jane was cut off as Maura shot her a grateful look.

"Oh thank you. I must have forgotten to turn my phone alarm on. Do you want to drive with us? I don't want you to think that we are holding you here." Maura asked the brunette who just shook her head. She was exhausted and just wanted to sleep but not before showering. She hadn't had a proper shower in…well…almost a decade.

"No thanks, do you care if I use your shower and just go back to bed? I really feel like sleeping now that I ate something." Jane walked with Maura back out to the kitchen, where Hunter sat nervously swinging his legs.

"Sure Jane, thanks so much. I'll be back in a little bit, but don't worry- I'll stay out of your way" Maura said quickly as she exited the house with her son. With a final wave, Jane made her way back into the bedroom. Now she had to try and get 9 years of filth and grime off of her skin.

* * *

"So, I see that you met Jane, buddy. Was she nice to you?" Maura snuck a peek at her son in the back seat. He looked nervous and kept playing with the strings of his winter coat. Hunter smiled and nodded, still avoiding Maura's glances.

"What's wrong, baby boy? Are you not feeling well?" They came to a stop in front of the school, Maura unbuckling herself so she could face her son. Hunter just blushed and shook his head, he looked up at his Momma with big hazel eyes and asked a question that made Maura's heart stop.

"Did she make you cry? We can move again if you want. I was nice because she got me breakfast, but if she made you cry I'll protect you." His chin quivered at the thought of anyone making his mother cry, she'd done that more than enough in his lifetime.

Maura couldn't help but burst into tears at the loyalty that son showed. She knew that he was the only person on this Earth who loved her wholly, no matter what. The face that child had, being her sole source of support for almost his entire life, made her heart full. She climbed into the backseat and gathered her son in the biggest hug that she could manage. Hunter just clung to his mother, he hated to see her cry.

When Maura's tears finally subsided, she took her son's hands in hers and held them in her lap. When her voice was finally strong enough to speak, she tried her best to comfort the boy.

"I'm sorry that you had to hear that, son. I- I just have a lot in common with her and we just talked about some hurtful things. I haven't spoken of your father to anyone, and she understands. You know when you just have to cry about something to make yourself feel better?" when her son nodded, Maura continued, "Well, that's what we did. She listened to me, and she's just a stranger. But, it felt good to talk about it. I promise next time, buddy, that I won't be so loud and I'll make sure to tell you that I'm okay." Maura rubbed his flushed cheeks and kissed his forehead. "Okay, kiddo, are we okay?"

Hunter just smiled and kissed his Momma's head in return. He was glad that he didn't have to be mean to Jane, he really liked her.

"Yeah, we're fine. I'm going to go in now. Mrs. R is very strict about time." Hunter grabbed his book bag and opened the door. He waved goodbye to Maura, who climbed back into the front seat and shifted into drive. She drove home in a happy mood- the fierce loyalty of her son and the kind words from Jane made Maura feel so loved, despite only knowing the brunette for a day.

* * *

Jane stepped of the shower and wrapped a lush towel around her body. She had washed herself almost raw, but she felt better than she had in a decade. The warm spray had taken a lot of residual self-loathing down the drain with dirt and grime. Her hair felt softer than it ever had, and she'd been reluctant to use Maura's brushes, so her hair was hanging in damp curls around her face. She felt so at ease that she didn't even hear Maura walk into her bedroom.

Jane strolled out of the shower, and jumped when she saw Maura casually throw her sweatshirt over the edge of a chair, leaving the blonde in a sports bra and yoga pants. Jane's jaw dropped and the sight and quickly turned around to try and save face.

Maura gasped as she saw the tall and lean woman in just one of her dark red towels. She didn't know much about Jane, but she now knew that red was definitely her color. She hadn't really thought of Jane as a human since she'd found her in the bar, she'd been a patient in Maura's mind. But, seeing the long tan legs and gorgeous black hair made the blonde realize that this woman was a bombshell.

"I-I'm so sorry Jane, just let me grab a shirt and I'll leave you in peace. If you'd like, I'll be on the porch, watching the snow. I-I, I mean, I'll- I'll just be out there, sorry again" Maura stuttered as she pulled a shirt on without even looking at what it said and ran out of the bedroom. Once she'd gotten into the kitchen she filled her kettle and started some tea for the both of them.

Maura paced around the kitchen waiting for the kettle to sound when she realized that there was two bowls and two spoons in the drying rack inside the sink. The thought of Jane and her son sharing breakfast together kind of scared her- she'd eaten with her son every morning since they'd moved to Iowa, and she'd broken that now. But, at least he didn't have to eat alone. Plus, Jane ate something- that was a good sign too. Maura poured two cups of tea, grabbed some grapes from the fridge, and went to sit on the couch. She didn't know if Jane would join her, but she figured that maybe she would let Jane talk about her past today. Maura curled up under the fleece blanket and stretched out. Soon, she would starting working again, and wouldn't have this much free time on her hands. She closed her eyes and let her muscles relax, the sounds of the storm outside made her drowsy.

Jane poked her head it and saw Maura almost napping. The smile on the blonde's face made Jane mirror the action. It was a becoming a proven fact that Maura's smile was contagious.

"Maura, I'm sorry to wake you up. But, do you have any clothes that I can borrow? I kinda- yeah, mine aren't usable" Jane whispered.

"Yeah, grab anything, I don't mind" Maura said with a smile. Jane was welcome to anything in her home honestly, including her heart.

Maura blushed deeply and grinned madly at that thought. She had no idea where that feeling came from, but she didn't mind it at all. It was actually kind of refreshing for Maura to feel something, even if it was just a fluttering crush that was passing by. Maura settled back into her spot for a few minutes, until a cold pair of hands lifted her bare feet and slid in beside her.

Maura cracked an eye and saw Jane wearing a pair of pajama pants and a tank top. She placed Maura's feet into her lap and smiled down at the blonde. Maura jumped at the cold touch but relaxed when she saw the tension drip off of the brunette. Jane threw her head back and inhaled deeply.

Maura lifted her feet from the cozy lap and sat up, facing Jane. She spread the blanket out so they could both be warm.

"Jane, I-I never truly thanked you for last night. I don't know If you realized it, but I've never- ever talked about my husband like that. You changed my life last night, and for that I am forever grateful." Maura smiled warmly and placed her hand over Jane's, squeezing slightly in a silent show of gratitude. "Just so you know, you're always welcome to talk to me too.

"Uh yeah- about that. I don't like talking about it..not yet at least. But, uh, thank you for the offer. I guess I should thank you for saving my life. I don't have any memories from the past few days other than being cold and hungry" Jane stared outside, watching snow pile up higher. She realized that she could have still been out there, freezing to death- losing a little life with every breath. She owed Maura her life, even if it didn't mean much.

"I'm glad I found you, you're such a strong person" Maura scooted a bit closer to the brunette. "Is this okay? I know you were bound and I don't want to intrude on your boundaries" Maura's other hand crept up the back of the couch.

Jane nodded and brought her legs to her chest. She spun sideways so she faced Maura and tried her best not to cry.

"I'm sorry if I brought back bad memories, Maur. I can leave soon if you want" Jane blushed at her nickname for the blonde.

Maura's heart jumped at the new name, and she beamed. "No, that isn't necessary. But, if you don't want to sleep in my bed tonight, that's understandable."

"I-i kind of missed sleeping next to someone. Besides, you make me feel safe Maura. How is it that someone that I've known for only a day, makes me feel so safe and protected?" Jane thought out loud. She felt very vulnerable in that moment and Maura picked up on it quickly.

"I am not one for hugging, but would you like one?" Maura said, opening her arms. Jane smirked and leaned into the embrace, setting her head on cotton covered shoulder. She looked down and started to laugh so hard, she was turning red. She honestly hadn't laughed this hard in more than a decade. Maura just looked at her incredulously, thinking she'd been insulted.

"What is so funny? Do I hug badly?" Maura demanded with a trace of hurt in her voice. Jane was still laughing too hard to speak so in lieu of words, she simply pointed to the blonde's t shirt, which she realized she never look at before putting it on.

There, in a retro white font read: I hot moms"

Maura also burst into laughter at the ridiculous shirt. She thought about how she had bought that for Garrett when she found out she was pregnant with Hunter. Surprisingly enough, the memory didn't trigger and negative feelings inside. It surely wasn't pleasant when he tossed it aside and sneered, but Maura didn't feel anxious or scared. She could only think of how beautiful the brunette looked with tears streaming down her face and rosy cheeks from laughing so hard.

The sight itself made Maura's chest burst with happiness. Jane looked angelic in the beauty of the winter storm and cradling tea, while also sharing a tiny throw blanket. The blonde took a deep breath and Jane turned her head and looked right into hazel eyes.

Maura felt her body being pulled by an invisible force. She made eye contact with Jane, letting their foreheads touch. Jane's chocolate eyes beckoned Maura with just a smoldering glance, making Maura lean forward and ghost her mouth across the chapped lips of the woman in front of her. Their noses bumped as they shared the most intimate moment either woman had ever experienced.

Jane drew back, afraid. She didn't even know this woman and she had nearly kissed her. What was she- a broken old detective with non-functioning hands, doing trying to kiss a beautiful woman with problems of her own?

Maura sat back and trailed her lips with her fingers, blazing the path that Jane had almost taken. Was she really about to kiss a stranger- what she that damaged?

They stared at each other, astonished, for a few more minutes until Jane spoke up:

"Don't kiss me if you're never going to do it again."

Maura just nodded, thinking it over. She stood up and shivered at the loss of the heat from the blanket.

"I need to go pick up Hunter. Would you like to go with- I have good locks." Maura offered, opening the door to the house. She grabbed the discarded tea cups and threw away the half eaten grapes. When she bent over the counter to put the dishes In the sink, she heard Jane clear her throat. Maura turned around to ask what Jane needed when she felt a pair of warm, lips on hers. Maura's heart jumped, didn't Jane just ask her not to kiss her unless she meant it?

"I'm sorry" Jane said when they separated. "I just couldn't help it, I know it's-" Jane was cut off by Maura's lips on hers. The blonde wove her hands into Jane's hair whereas Jane's hands found their niche on Maura's hips. They stayed that way until Maura grabbed her keys out of her pocket. Hunter was still at school and she needed to go.

"Will you join me please? I would enjoy the company and Hunter seems to have taken a liking to you." Maura slipped her coat on, she handed her spare one to Jane, who wriggled into the small pea coat. The arms were too short and the collar was too itchy, but it would work for now. They silently left- both thinking hard about what they had just done. They were both hurt and vulnerable, a volatile combination. But they could also be each other's safe place, in times when they were weak. This wasn't a decision that could be made overnight.

* * *

They drove silently, Maura's thumb rubbing small circles on Jane's hand. The brunette just watched the scenery fly by. She didn't recognize any of this, how far had she travelled?

They arrived at the school 2 minutes late. Hunter bolted out of the front doors, making a beeline for the Prius. He turned and waved at his teacher who had stood with him after class. Mrs. R watched Hunter climb into the backseat with his…mothers? She recognized Maura from conferences but the second one looked strangely familiar. Well, she did need glasses but refused to get them. If there was something Mrs. R hated more than not being able to see, it was those contacts that people pushed her to try. So, in spite of everyone, she just did neither. The world was much nicer when you could only see parts of it. She shrugged and walked back to her classroom slowly, taking her time to look at the art projects that her class had hung on the wall.

They were given markers, crayons, and colored pencils to draw out how their first day of school felt. Little Susie had drawn a lot of little cats and captioned it "I like cats better than school" Mrs. R laughed out loud at that one. Most of them were general statements like: Fine, boring, cool, or long. But, little Hunter had drawn three figures, one of them was pink- maybe his mother? The other was smaller with a mop of blonde hair- which she guessed was him. But, there was also a figure laying on what she assumed was snow? It was a woman, drawn in all blue, with crazy black hair, and red spots on her hands. Was that the woman who had shown up with Hunter's mother? Maybe she would talk to him about it, why was she blue? The teacher just shook her head and continued down the hall to her classroom, wondering if she really was meant for Iowa

* * *

"Jane!" Hunter yelled happily, clamoring into the backseat. He buckled himself and looked at this mother. He wanted to say something to thank the woman, but he didn't want to speak out of turn. His Momma had always told him that there is a place and time for every question, and to think about how it would make the other people feel.

"Hey kiddo, I'm sorry if we were late to pick you up. Your Momma is hard to get off the the porch, but I managed it." Jane winked at the grinning boy. His expression became one of deep thought and he looked at his shoes, mumbling something to himself. Finally, after just a moment, he looked back up at Jane.

"Thanks Jane, for helping Momma. I know she liked to talk to you, even if she cried." Hunter quickly looked back down in case he had said the wrong thing.

"Oh. Um" Jane's voice cracked at the sudden onslaught of emotion that his confession had caused. The love and fierce loyalty that he had for his mother made Jane so proud- even if she had only known him a short time, she knew that he was going to grow up and be a good guy. "Thank half-pint, I know that I loved talking to her too."

Maura smiled from the driver's seat, and pulled away from the curb. Maura was silent on the way home, but not because she was sad. She just loved listening to Jane talk to Hunter about a plethora of things. By the time that they pulled into the driveway, the two were talking rapidly about what sports they liked. Jane wasn't really well-versed about who was on what team now, but she did still know the rules of the game- something that hadn't changed in the near-decade she'd been gone.

They scrambled into the warm house, and discarded their coats and boots. Maura started to get the things out for dinner, when Jane's hand fell on her- insisting that she cease her actions.

"Hey, how about I cook for you? You did save my life, and I owe you that much" Jane said with a shrug, it had been too long since she'd cooked for anyone. It reminded her of her mother, wherever she and the rest of the Rizzoli family were.

"Ahh…sure! Do you want any help or would you prefer to be left alone?" Maura saw the sadness in Jane's eyes when she spoke of how long it had been since she had cooked for anyone. She hadn't thought about where Jane was before her abduction. Did she have a family, a husband…a wife? Warm lips on her cheek brought her out of her frantic thoughts. Jane brought her hand to Maura's cheek and brushed her thumb over the rosy skin.

"I like to cook alone, but you can keep me company if you'd like." Jane whispered to the blonde, who nodded slowly in return. She held up a finger, and turned towards the living room where Hunter had set up his homework on the coffee table.

"Hey kiddo, I'll be in here with Jane if you need any help, okay?"

Hunter turned to look at his Momma and nodded. She looked so happy right now with Jane standing next to her, that Hunter wasn't even sure if she'd ever been that happy before. He couldn't help but like Jane, and he knew that before her week here was up, that she would like him too. Maybe he could convince her to stay longer than a week. But, he needed to focus on his homework first. He was supposed to write a story about a time where he felt scared, so he wrote about when his Momma found Jane. He hoped that Mrs. R would enjoy it, because it was true.

Maura winked at her son and yelped when Jane lifted the blonde and set her on a counter next to the sink.

"You stay there- let the Italian Stallion run this kitchen!" Jane sang is mock bravado. Maura just gave her a warning glance, and Jane mock pouted. Goodness, the girl was gorgeous; Maura didn't even have the heart to lecture Jane about not roughhousing until her broken body had time to heal. Maura had never had someone be this tender and spontaneous with her, it was refreshing actually.

Maura sat cross-legged on the counter as Jane putted around the kitchen. In 24 hours Maura had: found a woman in the barn, thrown her in a bathtub, slept in the same bed as her, woken up with her, and kissed her. It seemed that maybe fate was giving her gift after all of the hell that she'd endured. Maybe, just maybe, Jane felt the same way.

"Penny?" Jane asked the pensive blonde, who was staring at her intently. Maura just shook her head, the honey blonde waves bouncing back and forth.

"I'm sorry Jane. I'm just still kind of thrown that I've only known you for 24 hours and you've already changed my life. I don't believe in fate, rather I'm a fan of cause and effect, but I think that maybe we were destined to meet. We are both broken, Jane, but I feel like I could heal if you were here with me. Do-do you feel it too?" Maura grabbed Jane's hand and pressed the calloused and scarred palm against her heart. The symbolism of the gesture made Jane's eyes mist a little bit. Jane grabbed onto the front of Maura's shirt, over her heart, and pulled her into the sweetest kiss she'd ever received. She lifted Maura off the counter and spun them in a circle in the kitchen. The brunette felt her heart beat faster and faster until she thought that her heart would explode in happiness. Maura had her hands tangled around the mane of black hair, while her legs wrapped around Jane's thin frame. Eventually, Jane set Maura down on the kitchen table and the kissed hurriedly again. Tears were streaming down their faces, mixing and making their faces slippery as they bared their souls to each other. Maura jumped down and hugged Jane close to her body. They trembled and they steadied each other, as they heard a small cough.

Hunter stood there and watched his Momma hug Jane as hard as she could. He didn't really understand what he had walked into, but his mother had never smiled that brightly before, and he couldn't wait to see her smile like that all of the time. He approached the two women, who were opening their embrace a bit, just big enough to let him in. He smiled and felt so loved when two sets of lips kissed each side of his face and he blushed furiously when Jane ruffled his hair lovingly.

"C'mon half pint, let's cook your Momma a perfect dinner, okay?" Jane bent down and make eye contact with Maura's son. He smiled and whispered to Jane

"Can we have spaghetti please?"

Jane and Maura burst into a fit of giggles as they nodded in unison. Even if the reality of their situation hadn't quite sunk in yet, they were gonna enjoy this night.

They talked all throughout dinner, and well into the night. Maura and Jane planned on going shopping for better fitting clothes for Jane. Hunter, was solidifying the verbal part of his report, and wondered if he could bring Jane is for show and tell on Friday. Jane had told the boy that she would think about it. She technically still didn't know where she had come from, or how long she had been gone. She didn't want to think about wherever her family was, or if they had still wanted to look for her.

They had put Hunter to bed, and shared a bottle of wine afterwards. They spoke of the future, and how they both did not want a sexual relationship in the near future. Maura was still nervous about her broken body, and the thought of intimacy alone, made Jane spiral into a panic. For now, they would stay exactly how they were.

However that night had Jane slowly remembering her journey from her captor's house, which threw her into a panic attack while she slept. Maura had woken up and tried her best to console the woman, who seemed to settle back down when Maura had taken the brunette's hand and placed in over her heart, like she done before dinner.

When Jane woke the next morning, she had felt like she'd run a marathon the day previous. She knew that she had overdone it yesterday, so she was paying for it today. She wouldn't take any of it back though. Maura had seen her turmoil and offered many solutions ranging from an asprin all the way to a massage. Trusting the former doctor, Jane had accepted all of the offers.

They had driven Hunter to school in their pajamas, too cozy to change into anything else. But, Maura had insisted on getting dolled up to go into town. Jane was uncomfortable- Maura was a much different size than her so all of her pants would be too short, and none of her shirts would cover Jane's torso.

So, Maura had decided that it was acceptable for Jane to go with her to the store in her fleece pants. Everyone else did it, this one time wouldn't hurt. Maura had given Jane a pair of old snow boots and that same too-small coat. Needless to say, Jane felt a little out of place in a the store, and was grateful when they had gathered what they needed quickly and left.

Now, they were sitting back on Maura's bed, just lying next to each other. Their hands were slowly rubbing circles on each other, while their legs occasionally brushed. Jane had donned a simple pair of Jeans and a white v-neck. She had also gotten some basic toiletries and undergarments. She was almost completely dependent on the woman next to her, and the guilt was manifesting itself.

"Hey, Maur, you know that I can't really pay you back right now. But, I w-" Jane was silenced by Maura's finger on her lips.

"I know Jane. How could you? I pulled you out of a barn nearly 40 hours ago. Don't worry about it okay? You've repaid me in ways that you'll never know. Let's go pick up Hunter, maybe we can order pizza?" Maura asked lovingly.

"I'm going assume that by "order pizza" you mean, let me make you a real Italian pizza? Otherwise, that's just mean" Jane smirked as she stood up and stretched her achy joints.

Maura just laughed and stood up and mimicked Jane's stretches. She grabbed onto Jane's arm and they bumped arms and waltzed into the kitchen, drunk on love. They saw that it was nearing time to pick Hunter up, so they decided to just leave a bit early. Maura felt strong enough to enter the building, so long as she had Jane by her side. When they got into the car, Maura asked Jane if she was okay with it.

"Hey, Jane. Will you do me a favor?" Maura started and continued as Jane nodded, "I generally am uncomfortable with large quantities of people, so I haven't visited Hunter's classroom or even been inside the school. When we registered him, they said that parents often sit in for the some of the class, to show their support and to meet their teachers and fellow students. I know that you might not want to, but will you go inside with me? I-you make me feel like I can conquer all of this fear, and I want to try." Maura explained as they made the familiar drive.

Jane thought for a moment, before nodding. "Sure", she said, nodding a bit harder to show her approval. She wasn't really upset about sitting around with a bunch of children, she really only had an aversion to being alone in public.

When they arrived at the school, they parked in the visitor lot instead of just idling near the door. Maura's hands were shaking, so Jane grabbed one and held it close. Maura relaxed and realized that it was just a school, and that no one is inside wanted to hurt her. Hunter's room was room 102, Grade: 1 room: #2. They walked down the hallway and looked at all of the art projects hanging on the wall. Jane spotted Hunter's and tugged Maura over to it.

They stared at it like it was a masterpiece. Well, for them- it was. Even if Jane was blue and Hunter's hair looked more like ramen, it was beautiful. They stood there for a long while, just holding hands and staring at the picture. They both jumped when the school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. The duo swiveled around to face the door. Suddenly, kids just poured out of the room, Hunter included. When his gaze landed on his mother and Jane, he lit up and jumped around. It was refreshing to see him act like the (almost) seven year old that he was, instead of being so serious.

Mrs. R shooed the rest of the kids out of her room. She looked up to see Hunter talking to who she assumed were his parents. Her vision was still blurry, so she begrudgingly put on her glasses that hung around her neck.

When the brunette's face came into view, Mrs. R gasped and dropped everything she was holding. Her mouth moved, sounding out words that didn't quite make it out. There, hugging one of her students was her daughter- Jane Rizzoli.

"J-Janie?!" Mrs. Rizzoli cried out, looking like a deer in headlights. Jane whipped around and let out a yelp and the teacher came crashing into her. She panicked at tried to scramble away until she smelled the smell that brought back so many memories.

"MA?!" tears poured out of Jane's eyes as she sunk into the embrace of the mother than she hadn't seen in nearly a decade. "H-H-Why- how are you here?" Jane stumbled over the basic words.

"I came here Janie- to look for you! You were last spotted here seven years ago! So, I've been searching for you ever since!" Angela cried, kissing Jane's cheeks over and over. She threw a glance at Maura, who was holding her son's hand, looking at them wide wide, scared eyes.

"Is that who's in the picture Hunter? Is that Jane?" Angela asked, the pieces all falling into place. Hunter just nodded, like he did when he was scared, and gripped his Momma's hand even tighter. "Thank you, I'm Angela Rizzoli, or Mrs. R. for short" She stuck her hand out to shake Maura's- the least that she could do.

Angela smiled through the tears and ushered them all back into her classroom. They talked for a few hours. Angela had to stop herself a few times to compose herself and make sure that Jane was alive and here, right in front of her.

Jane had gone home with Angela that night, to talk about what had become of her family and life. Maura and Hunter went home, still shell shocked by the events of today. They went to bed early; Hunter snuggled up to his mother, in the spot that Jane had just slept in earlier. They both fell asleep quickly, saddened that Jane didn't come home with them but happier that she had found some family.

Three a.m. rolled around a knock at Maura's door made her jump. She threw on a robe, and grabbed the baseball bat that she kept in her bedroom. How did he find her? She'd been gone for almost a year, why now? Where was Jane? Should she tell Hunter to go hide?

"Maura- Maura I see you in there, let me in!" Jane's voice whispered loudly. Maura felt so relieved that she nearly fainted. She unlocked the front door as Jane hurried into the room. She clung to Maura and sunk to the floor.

"They left Maura, they left my Ma because she wouldn't stop looking for me. They JUST LEFT HER" Jane cried out, clutching at the blonde. Maura sat down in the kitchen with her. She let the brunette cry on her until her sobs morphed into hiccups.

"Hey, pretty girl, we'll be your family. We will. Your mother can come to dinner and we can all laugh and drink wine. Hunter can talk about school, and we can-"

"Jane?" Hunter padded into the kitchen and looked at the woman with scared eyes. The screams and cried from the kitchen had woken him up. When he saw that his Momma was gone, he had bolted out of the bedroom to protect his mother, until he saw the familiar form on the floor with Maura.

"J-Jane, are you crying 'cause Momma helped you out too?" Hunter asked, remembering their talk the day before.

Jane smiled through the tears and just patted the spot on her lap, where the small boy gingerly sat. Jane brought the mother and son into an embrace. The love radiating from the two made the pain of the news she's received earlier, dull a tiny bit. That's where they sat for the whole night, curled up with Jane on the kitchen floor. They loved each other as hard as they could, opening their damaged hearts to let it all in, even for just a little bit.


	5. RedJumpsuitApparatus-Your Guardian Angel

**thanks for bearing with this random story worked into the story! Here's the epilogue, hope that you like it! :)**

* * *

"HIGHER JANE, HIGHER!" Hunter yelled as he pumped his legs, just like Jane had taught him. He hadn't learned how to swing properly and when Jane had heard this, she dragged Hunter and his mother to the park. It was a warm day halfway through summer break, and Maura just so happened to have the day off of work.

Jane pushed the little boy on the swings as high as she felt comfortable. As soon as he got to the point where she could not reach him, they started to slow it down. Maura sat in the swing next to her son, staring at how Jane was so careful and protective of them. They had gotten really close in the last few months. Maura trusted Jane with her life, which was great because Jane had just talked to the Chief of Police, and was due to interview with the Sheriff's office soon.

Until Jane had mentioned being a detective in the past, Maura had forgotten about the badge that had pulled off of the woman when she'd been found. She never asked why she still wore it after nine years of being held captive but honestly, she didn't want to know.

"Momma! Look at me!" Hunter cried as Jane ran around with him on her broad shoulders. After she'd be properly nourished and washed, Jane felt so much healthier. Maura knew that Jane was gorgeous, but seeing her with her son made Jane look so radiant, so divine- carefree and relaxed. Her dimples were a permanent fixture now that the brunette had a reason to smile all of the time. They ran back towards Maura, arms spread like airplanes. They ran up to the beaming blonde and Hunter placed a kiss on her head, and Jane then placed a kiss on her warm and inviting lips. A happy sigh is all Maura could manage after all of that affection.

She grabbed the blanket off the bench and shook it out. After all the twigs and rocks were moved out from under it, Maura laid down on her stomach. She propped her chin in her hands and swung her legs back and forth like a giddy schoolgirl. Eventually, Jane ran back and laid down next to her. She rolled onto her side and stared and the blonde hair that was floating in the wind. Freckles littered the woman's face and that one stubborn dimple made Jane's heart just melt. She was so happy with this little makeshift family. Maura realized she was being watched and turned to face Jane.

"I love you" Maura said, kissing Jane softly. Jane rolled them so she was on top of the woman and dipped down to place another kiss on her nose.

"I love you too pretty girl, I love you and him. I love our family." Jane blushed at the sudden admission. "Maura, I know this is a tough question and we agreed to let the past be the past but, are you still legally married?" Jane flinched, knowing that this would crush the blonde's mood but she needed to know.

"Yes, I suppose that I am. Why so? Does it bother you?" Maura said curtly. Why would Jane bring this up now?

"Well, maybe we could find an attorney to handle this discreetly. I don't want to put your life danger because I-I" Jane stopped and sighed. She rolled back off of Maura, who cocked her head to the side out of curiosity.

"Because why Jane?"

"Because I want to marry you." Jane whispered.

Maura just smiled, tears springing into the corners of her eyes. In that very moment she knew that all the trials and tribulations that she had ever gone through, were worth it. Just to hear someone say that they wanted her, made every single scar on her heart, disappear.


End file.
